Praveen Nath, who gained recognition as Kerala’s first transgender bodybuilder, passed away on Thursday in what has been reported as a case of suicide. He was undergoing treatment at Thrissur Medical College Hospital after allegedly consuming poison. The 26-year-old from Elavancherry in Palakkad was disturbed over fake news regarding his marriage, which he had refuted earlier in a Facebook post. Praveen had married Rishana Aishu on Valentine’s Day this year. Praveen’s achievements include winning the Mister Kerala contest in the transgender category in 2021 and reaching the finals of an international bodybuilding championship in 2022.
In 2018, Praveen, along with two other transgender individuals, enrolled for undergraduate courses at Maharaja’s College in Ernakulam, thanks to a government circular that approved additional seats for transgender applicants in universities and affiliated arts & science colleges. The same year, Praveen underwent sex reassignment surgery, realizing ‘he’ was held captive in a female body. Praveen began bodybuilding in 2020 and became Mr. Thrissur a year later, through sheer hard work.
Praveen was a member and advocacy coordinator of Sahayatrika, a Thrissur-based organization for the LGBTQIA+ community. Speaking about Praveen, Sahayatrika’s founder, and president T N Seema, said, ‘He was an active member of our organization. He was always ready to help the community members. He was an inspiration for many. It is a big loss for all of us.’ Praveen’s death is a reminder of the challenges that transgender people face and highlights the importance of support and inclusivity in society.
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